The present invention relates to a plasma address-type liquid crystal display device.
Hitherto, as a matrix-type liquid crystal display device for providing a high resolution and a high contrast, it has been a general practice to provide an active matrix-type device wherein each pixel is provided with a switching device, such as a thin film transistor (TFT). This type of device is however accompanied with a problem that the increase in display area results in a lower production yield and thus an increased production cost.
On the other hand, as a solution to such a cost problem accompanying the active matrix-type device, there has been proposed a plasma address-type liquid crystal display device wherein addressing is performed by selective plasma discharge instead of TFTs, e.g., by Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application (JP-A) 1-217396 and JP-A 5-72159.
However, the plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device is accompanied with problems, such as a slow response speed and a poor viewing angle characteristic, owing to the use of a nematic liquid crystal.
Further, a conventional plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device is accompanied with a problem that respective plasma chambers are provided with different performances, such as a difference in plasma life xcfx84p, i.e., a period from the generation to extinction of plasma, due to a fluctuation in production conditions for the respective plasma chambers or channels.
As a result, when a liquid crystal pixel is supplied with a data signal having a pulse width designed to terminate simultaneously with the termination of plasma life xcfx84p, certain pixels are liable to fail in writing with desired picture data due to an insufficient charge storage by the data signal caused by the fluctuation in plasma life xcfx84p at certain plasma chambers. More specifically, certain plasma chambers can be provided with longer plasma life xcfx84p, before the termination of which a data a signal pulse is terminated, due to a production error, thus causing a charge leakage from the liquid crystal layer.
In view of the above-mentioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device having a fast response speed and an excellent viewing angle characteristic.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device excellent in display characteristics, such as gradational display characteristics and viewing angle characteristic and also in impact resistance.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device capable of writing desired picture data in pixels regardless of a fluctuation in plasma life xcfx84p for respective plasma chambers due to a possible production error.
According to the present invention, there is provided a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display device, comprising: a liquid crystal cell structure including a layer of liquid crystal and a plasma cell structure, in a stacked configuration,
wherein the liquid crystal is a liquid crystal having a spontaneous polarization.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a plasma-addressed liquid crystal display apparatus comprising: a liquid crystal device including a liquid crystal cell structure and a plasma cell structure in a stacked configuration; wherein
the liquid crystal cell structure comprises a first transparent substrate having thereon transparent electrode stripes and an alignment film, a dielectric sheet having thereon an alignment film disposed opposite to the alignment film on the first transparent substrate, and a liquid crystal disposed between the alignment films, and
the plasma cell structure comprises a second transparent substrate having thereon pluralities of cathode stripes and anode stripes disposed alternately with a prescribed spacing therebetween, and stripes of partitions formed along the anode stripes; the plasma cell structure being stacked onto the dielectric sheet of the liquid crystal cell structure via the partitions so as to form plasma chambers filled with an ionizable gas between the partitions and so that the cathode stripes and anode stripes intersect the transparent electrode stripes;
the display apparatus further comprising:
data signal application means for applying data signals to the transparent electrode stripes,
anode potential application means for applying an anode potential to the anode stripes, and
cathode potential application means for applying a cathode potential capable of generating plasma in an associated plasma channel to the cathode stripes,
wherein the data signal application means applies a data signal having a pulse width which terminates after termination of average plasma life in the plasma channels in one horizontal scanning period.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon a consideration of the following description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.